Violin



Jan. 13, 1931.

S. M. ROWLAND VIOLIN Filed April 19. 1928 Smara M 0 w Zand.

A Patented Jan. 13, 1931 f the iront of the body.

= srMoN M. RowLANp, .or cLovEnroIriz KN'ruoxY VIOLIN Applicaties inedApril 1K9,

rllliis invention relates to stringed musical instrumentsl of which ltheviolin istypical and aims to increasetlie volume and'insure aconsonanceof vibration between the strings and the iront and back oftheinstrument.

. The invention contemplates a resilient tongue projecting from the neckof the instrunientinto the body and terminating a short distance fromthe tail end and spaced from the front and back thereof. A sound postextends from the, top of the tongue to An auxiliary sound post extendsfrom the bottom of the tongue tothe back of the body and is adjustableto tension the parts to the requisite degree to obtain the desired tonalresults.

The invention relates to the manner of connecting the resilient tonguetothe stem, and

- the formation of the `auxiliary sound post and the manner ofconnection betweenit and the back of the instrument.

`While the drawing illustrates a preferred embodiment of the invention,it is to be uny Yderstood that in adapting the means to meet specificneeds and` requirements the design may be varied, and such otherchanges'in the minor details of construction may be resorted to withinthe scope of the invention as ciaimed, without departing from the spiritthereof.

For a full understanding oi the invention and the merits thereof,reference is to be had to the :following description and the dra-winghereto attaci'ied, in which,-

Figure 1 is a central, longitudinal sectional view of the body portionoi a stringed musical instrument' embodying the intention.

eigure 2 is a vertical, transverse sectional view on the line 2--2 oiFigure 1.

Figure 3 is an enlarged detail perspective view of 'the butt portion ofthe neck and the adjacent end of the resilient tongue, the parts beingseparated.

Figure 4 is an enlarged sectional View' on the line 4 4 of Figure 2.

Corresponding' and like parts are referred to in the followingdescription and designated in the several views of the drawing by likereference characters.

50 The body of the instrument comprises a the fingerboard 5.

192s. seriai No. 271,337.V

body of the instrument and is spaced 'from the front andzbaclr thereof.The tongue 9 is thin and rbroad and terminates a short distance fromthetail ,of the instrument, as indi'- cated mostclearly in Figure'l ofthe draw ings. @The resilient tongue 9 may consist of metalor wood andis detachably connected to the butt of the neck 4f. The end of thetongue A9 adapted `to be coupled to the neck i is thickened and rformedwith `a'frib 10 which lis adapted to obtain aV snug ,lit within a groove1l formed in the b utt'of'the ne'elrl.

The rib and groove are of wedge shaped outlineto provide a dove tailjoint which is made secure by glue or other determinate means.

' A sectional sound post is disposed between the tongue 9 and the frontand back of the instrument-` The top section of the post is designatedbyv the numeral 11 and the bottom section by the numerals l12 and 13.The lower end ofthe section 11 is widened, as indicated at 14,`and istapered to a knife edgewhich .engages the top side of the tongue 9. VTheupper end of the section 11 is formed similar to the usual sound post.The members 12 and 13 comprising'the bottom; section of the sound postare connectedby'means of ai screw thread which provides for adjustmentof the sound 'post' to meet requirements. The part 13 has an openingformed therein whichis threaded torreceive the threaded stem ofthe part12. An outer flange 16 'formedwith the part 13 is confined betweenplates 15 boltedto the backf2 of theV instrument. y A portion is cutfrom the back 2 to receive the flange 16. The plates 15and flange 16result in a swivel connection of the vparti?) with the back 2. The

I accordancewith the present invention l .theA resilient tongue 9 1s`disposed within the upper end of the part 12 is widened, as incated at17, and terminates in a knife edge which engages the bottom side of thetongue 9.

Rotation of the part 13 effects a longitudinal movement of the part 12,'with the result that the front and back of the instrument and theresilient tongue 9 are subjected to a variable tension which results ina modulation of the tone quality of the instrument. The sectionscomprising the sound posts are disposed out of line, as indicated mostclearly in Figure 1 of the drawings. In the preferable arrangement thebottom section of the sound post is set forwardly of the top section,and the latter is in line with the bridge 7 to sustain the direct stressof the musical strings exerted upon the front 1. The invention may beapplied to an instrument already completed by removing either the lfrontor the back, the parts thus detached being subsequently replaced andglued to the part from which it was previously disengaged. The resilienttongue 9 vibrates in unison with the front and the back of theinstrument and adds to the tonal eiiect which is further varied byadjustment of the bottom section of the sound post to vary the tensionuponthe tongue and the front and back of the instrument.

Having thus described the invention, I claim:

1. The combination with the body of a stringed musical instrument, and aresilient tongue therein connected at one end with the body of asectional sound post having the sections interposed between andcontacting with the tongue and front and back of the body, one oi' thesections comprising elements, one oi which is connected to the back ofthe body by means of a swivel joint, and the other element having an endportion in screw thread engagement with the element swiveled to the backof the body, and having its opposite end widened and terminating in aknife edge in contact with the tongue.

2. A stringed musical instrument comprising a hollow body having a neck,a resilient tongue projecting into the body from the butt o1" the neckand terminating a distance from the tail, and a sectional sound posthaving the sections interposed between and contacting with the saidtongue and the front and back of the body.

3. A stringed musical instrument comprising a hollow body having a neck,a resilient tongue projecting into the body from the butt of the neckand terminating a distance from the tail, and a sectional sound posthaving the sections interposed between and contacting with the saidtongue and the front and back ot' the body, the bottom section beingadjustable and positively connected to the back by means of a swiveljoint.

4l. A stringed musical instrument comprising a hollow body and neck, a fresilient tongue Within the body and detachably connected to the butt ofthe neck, and a sectional sound post interposed between and contactingwith the tongue and the front and the back of the body and havingpositive connection with the back by means of a swivel joint.

5. A stringed musical instrument comprising a hollow body having anopening in its back, a sectional sound post within the body, comprisingtwo sections and means connecting them disposed between the front andthe back thereof and including complemental elements having screw threadconnection, one of the elements having an outer flange fitted in theopening provided in the back of the body, and plates secured to oppositesides of the back and confining the said flange therebetween.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

SIMON M. ROVVLAND. [L s]

